Pride before the Fall
by Delora2047
Summary: An encounter with two Galaxy Rangers forces Darkstar to confront her past and her future.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: '_

_The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers' is copyrighted by Hearst Entertainment, Inc._

_This is a work of fanfiction and I make no profit of it._

_Author's note: _

_Many thanks to R. E. Lyngard for beta-reading this._

_All feedback welcome._

* * *

Planet New Chennai, March 2088

They say that pride comes before the fall. So I guess I was not wearing my head low enough.

Will we have to run again, I wonder as I watch the pair of Galaxy Rangers riding up the road toward Rani Town. I do not think that they are after us because then they would not send less than a platoon. Forty soldiers might indeed give us some trouble, but then I hope that we are not that high on their list of outlaws to catch, at least not while we are lying low and the threat posed by the Crown Empire is prominent.

Or they might send a hunter who is and is not of our own kind. The notion chills me, and I try not to think what would happen if they sent Gooseman again.

If these rangers recognize me, we will have to run anyway. Because even if I kill them, this place would no longer be safe to hide.

It is about half an hour until they will be up here. So I am watching them while I am waiting. And I remember…

* * *

_# Frontier, half a year ago._

Beaten, Ray is lying in the dust. I am waiting for Goose to bring out the handcuffs or whatever equivalent of handcuffs that can hold a Supertrooper. I swore to myself I would go with Ray wherever life takes us, and I know that the only road left for us is the one back to Earth, into the cyrocrypt. The only other way would be if I attacked Shane, and even now, I cannot bring myself to do that – even though Goose is far from helpless.

In that one moment, when he shot back the energy beams at Ray, I finally realized that Goose had grown up. He is not the boy whom I used to protect from the older Troopers anymore, far from it.

Suddenly I realize how he must be seeing us, must be seeing me: From elite soldiers down to mediocre criminals. Even if Walsh and Goose and whoever else betrayed us, I betrayed myself.

Thus I am awaiting judgment.

I am feeling for Ray's carotid pulse. It is erratic, but he will live. I wonder if he planned to grant the same courtesy to Goose if he had won. Probably not.

My eyes are stinging from the dust and the glaring sunlight.

It was a fair fight, and we lost. We will pay.

And then Goose just walks away. He lets us go, and my questions of 'why' die away in the wind.

Someone who is about to be hanged must feel like that when the rope tears. I do not understand it.

All I know as I am kneeling in the dust and Goose's silhouette is fading from sight is that we must flee.

I am not scrupulous when it comes to survival, and I decide to steal one of Laramie's ships. Laramie's goons never saw me as a threat, so they do not even have time to blink before I take them out.

It is almost easier to drag Ray while he is unconscious than to convince him while he is awake. I hope he does not mind me deciding for him that we must leave, and if he does, I will deal with it later.

We must run now.

That is how we came to New Chennai.

* * *

I blink away the memories.

The two rangers stop several times to talk to shopkeepers and citizens on the street.

Their hats are drawn deeply onto their faces to shade them from the afternoon sun. They have camping gear on their horses, and I assume they have not come just to visit me. Both carry rifles.

If there is a shoot-out, the sun is against them, which will give me an advantage, even if I would not need it. I remind myself again that I want to avoid a hostile confrontation.

I wonder how the people here will remember me if I leave now. There is not much that happens in Rani Town, therefore I suspect they will tell stories for a long time of the mysterious woman who appeared out of nowhere, became their sheriff and disappeared as suddenly as she had come.

I have to smile despite myself at how unlikely it seems that I should wind up as a sheriff here.

Ray had wanted to go to Tortuna, but I had had enough of living among criminals so I set a course for a border planet where we could recuperate and plan.

We posed as bounty hunters to avoid suspicion. Little did I know that the ruse would become truth. When we made a stop in Rani Town to replenish supplies, bandits attacked, cattle thieves for whom theft apparently no longer paid enough. The inhabitants offered us a bounty to take them out. We hesitated, said the reward was not sufficient since we had no interest in taking either side.

Then the bandits charged the town. Whatever my grudge against humanity, when I saw that one of the bandits was about to hurt a little girl, I shot him. Ray thought I was stupid for interfering, but he had dragged me into enough of his stupid fights that this time I could drag him into one of mine.

Long story short, we beat the bandits, and it felt good.

After that, they offered to make us their sheriffs. I could have declined, yet I was tired of running. In tactics class, they taught us that sometimes hiding in plain sight is the best strategy. Who would search for two renegade Supertroopers in the sheriff's office in a small town on a remote border planet? So we stayed, and I became their sheriff.

I wonder how much longer we will be able to stay.

The rangers are almost here now. The woman is riding up to the sheriff's office, and the man is staying at the side of the road, probably to give her cover. It is a stupid plan, but then they are humans. I take my own blaster and step outside.

The woman looks surprised to see me, like she expected someone else.

Then she smiles and puts away her sidearm.

Belatedly, I realize that a sheriff would not draw a blaster unprovoked against two Galaxy Rangers. I put it away.

"Sheriff Daisy Miller?" the female ranger asks. Her companion is approaching now too.

I give a curt nod.

"I am Ranger Niko, and this is Captain Zachary Fox. We're Galaxy Rangers and we're here to investigate some of the disappearances that have taken place on New Chennai."

* * *

Where do you go when your world shatters, I wonder as I show them around town. This is not home. The only home I have ever known was Wolf Den, and it is not home anymore.

The two rangers do not recognize me. My unrest does not settle completely yet I assume I am safe for the moment. They are not even likely to recognize me, I remind myself. When I first saw the wanted posters for Supertroopers, I had to suppress a manic laugh. There is just enough likeness in those portraits to make the connection if we should be captured but not before. We only run a risk of detection if we use our special abilities and someone reports it to BETA.

I guess it is to protect people. After all, they would not want a village sheriff to go after us.

Captain Fox is asking me questions like how often I patrol the surrounding woods and making suggestions how to improve the security of the two prison holding cells. I have to remind myself that a village sheriff probably would be grateful for the advice.

I wonder whether he takes his own advice about caution. From the way he subtly adjusts his posture and how there is a very slight imbalance between the left and right side of his body, I can tell that his left arm and leg are bionic replacements, probably after some serious battle wounds forced amputation.

Ranger Niko is making some comments about how prosperous Rani Town seems. It is true; while New Chennai is not one of the main agrarian colonies such as Granna, Floko or Frontier, people make good business by growing and selling luxury goods such as tea or spices. I do not comment on it, though; I am not a tourist guide.

I watch Ranger Niko covertly.

The woman has some stripes on her uniform that mark her as a specialist, though I cannot infer which kind. Maybe her specialty is tracing or chemical analysis, since the rangers are looking into disappearances.

She is smiling way too much for my liking.

I hope they will leave town before Ray returns. He has taken to roaming the woods quite frequently. I thought coming here, settling down for a while would calm him, but we are arguing even more than before. He seems to be burning with a fury I cannot understand. I hate the BWL and every senator who betrayed us, and I would not hesitate to exact revenge if I could, but the humans around me are just a small irritation at the back of my mind. With Ray, it is like everyone is his mortal enemy. One moment he pushes me away; the other he pulls me into a crushing embrace. I can hardly reach him anymore, and our lovemaking and our fights blur into one.

Captain Fox asks me whether I get the bulletins about wanted criminals and Crown activity. I have to suppress a snort.

I designed my exercise around what fighting off a Crown contingent by myself would take. After all, I need to do something while I wait for – I do not know what – maybe for the sky to fall.

It is better than hanging around with the scum of Jacob Laramie's type but not much.

If someone registers with me before going out for trapping or whatever, I search for them when the time allotted for their return is up, but I do not urge registration. It is a free world, or in other words, if they did much registering and identity checking here, Ray and I would be in trouble. I am not saying I am a good sheriff, just that I am the only sheriff this town and a 50-mile radius around it has.

I take their drunk into custody, but I refuse to go after truants. I do not allow any brawls, and if the town judge gives me a warrant for cattle thieves, Ray and I go after them.

I make an appearance at town festivities, but I avoid funerals. They are the one occasion where the rage inside me threatens to boil over and I feel I might lash out blindly.

There were over 200 of us and I have been able to identify 22 warrants – 19 current and three withdrawn. Nineteen out of 200 that escaped.

Life out here is chaotic, but the order of Wolf Den has turned into the cyrocrypt.

I followed orders until they turned on us. Walsh and Negata betrayed us.

Now I look out only for Ray and myself.

I used to look out for the younger troopers, but Goose is the only one who survived, and I do not know what will happen if we meet again.

Ranger Niko shows me pictures of a missing person, the one to disappear most recently. I recognize the man. He came through five weeks ago, did not register, quickly replenished his supplies and was on his way. I do remember him but would a human? I decide to let them talk to the shopkeeper where he bought his supplies. Why get involved when I can help it?

Melina, the shopkeeper of the grocery store, is very pleased to have visitors and immediately draws us into a conversation. After the two rangers have assured her that there is no impending threat, she starts questioning them about their families. When Ranger Niko admits to being unmarried, Melina gives her advice on how to find a husband. Niko smiles, but I can see she is slightly uncomfortable.

Captain Fox tells proudly of his two children but mentions no wife. Maybe he is widowed. Melina pities him for having only two children, but Earth overpopulation rules are strict in that regard.

I quickly taught people that asking when I am going to have children is not a good idea.

The scientists at Wolf Den may have made numerous errors, but they certainly would not run that risk. There would be no place for children in my life anyway. Not as a soldier. Not as an outlaw on the run.

The parents of Dalia, the girl whom I saved from the bandits, invite me to their house for dinner every couple of weeks, and sometimes I cannot decline. Dalia looks up to me as though I am some kind of hero, but I will not allow myself to care. Caring just means trouble and pain.

Captain Fox by now has the shopkeeper talking about passing customers. He is gathering information and rather sly about it. Melina will just remember she had a pleasant chat with the rangers, but the rangers now know there is about one miner or fur trapper passing through every week and that I do not register them unless they insist.

I realize I will have to act incompetent, or else my neglect of duty will seem downright malicious and suspicious.

Melina recognizes the picture Niko shows her. She says the man went up to the peaks, probably a prospector. The rangers confer quietly among themselves about hiding spots and criminal activity.

Melina complements me on my make-up and asks me where I buy a kohl that is resistant to the heat and the dust. I am suddenly grateful that the town's Indian population with their love of extravagant facial make-up provides the perfect cover for my face markings. I have adapted my clothing to plain sturdy pants and non-descript blouses, have even dyed my hair all black, but I have been too proud to cover the markings on my face despite their being a telltale sign for identifying me.

Captain Fox clears his throat. "Sheriff Miller, would you have maps of the area?"

He is trying to sound polite but hiding rather badly that he thinks I am careless in my duties, and he is stupid for thinking I do not notice.

"Captain," Ranger Niko speaks up, "I think we should concentrate on areas where a ship could go down. Much of the area is too steep for that. There's much less landing space than ambush space."

Captain Fox nods.

I hate the idea of going with them, but I do not want them to run into Ray or worse – find the ship we used to come here.

"I know the area," I interject. I do not mention that it is because I mapped escape routes and wanted to train where no one could see me.

"I've brought in some lost hunters and gem seekers." I searched at least for those who were intelligent enough to take a distress beacon connected to the satellite system.

"I can show you some good hiding spots." Except the one where our ship is.

Fox nods. "Good. We need supplies. I guess we can get them here?" He gives Melina a dazzling smile, and she nods proudly.

"And what are we looking for?" I ask defiantly. I no longer take orders. Even at Wolf, Den they taught you to ask enough questions to make sure you knew what to do, to fulfill the meaning of the mission and not just the wording.

Niko answers, "There are more people missing from this region than fights among miners and casualties through wild animals would explain. We fear that someone is abducting or killing people."

Fox is already ordering supplies. My town has been taken out of my hands, and I worry whether my cover will hold.

"It's probably too late to ride out today," Melina says. "It's a rather steep climb up from here, and you probably won't reach a good camping site before nightfall."

Fox looks impatient like he cannot wait to start the hunt.

"It would give us a good opportunity to go over the maps and identify possible hiding spots," Niko suggests.

Fox agrees reluctantly. "Is there any guesthouse here where we can stay?"

"The Singhs have a boarding house. I am sure they will give you a room as you defend the law," Melina says. "Now for dinner, please consider yourself invited to my home."

"We can't accept that, ma'am," Fox refuses. "We don't' want to impose."

"Oh, it would be my pleasure, Captain Fox. I haven't had guests from outside in a long time," Melina says with a sideways glance to me.

"We really don't want to bother you," Ranger Niko protests.

"The honor would be all mine, Captain Fox, Ranger Niko – Sheriff Miller."

She puts a little emphasis on my name, and I fear I will not get out of this.

"All right, it will be our pleasure," Captain Fox concedes.

"Very well." Melina smiles. "Dinner is at 8 pm." Fox gives a slight nod of his head to acknowledge the invitation.

I have to admit, they have the diplomacy down perfectly, up to refusing two times before they accept anything.

I cannot help the impression that this is exactly how Melina and everyone else would want their sheriff to be: impeccably polite, caring, and commanding. Unfortunately, they only got me, and I wonder whether I should stay or leave.


	2. Chapter 2

As Ray is not back when I return to our house, I do not have an excuse not to eat dinner at Melina's place. I know there is some risk in getting involved with the rangers, but it might be useful to talk to them. Since they do not suspect I am who I am, maybe I can get some information about current criminal and military threats and what measures they take to counter them.

I wonder what Ray is doing. It has been six days since he left, and he does not usually stay out that long on his hunts.

* * *

"What do you think about her, Niko?"

"Well, she's not Daisy O'Mega."

"I can see that. Anything else?"

"She's guarded and not too enthusiastic we're here."

"Do you think she has a criminal background?"

"It's possible. The shopkeeper said she and her boyfriend came here as bounty hunters. But even if they have a criminal background, there's not much we can do. Unless they committed murder or treason, New Chennai like most border planets has some generous amnesties for people who settle here without committing further crimes."

"I just want to make sure she does not shoot us in the back if she comes with us as a scout."

"Wouldn't a scout ride in the front?"

"That's not funny, Niko."

"The border planets don't have many qualified people, Zach. Their sheriffs are either born here, or they have one reason or another to hide. Daisy Miller has an excellent reputation with the surrounding towns both as a skilled shooter as well as someone who doesn't take bribes or lets criminals run. I think it's more than we can ask for."

"I still have an uneasy feeling about her."

"I don't think she is the type who would shoot someone in the back."

"Still, can you try to find out more about her, Niko?"

"I can ask around about her a bit more, but if she doesn't volunteer information, I'm at the limit of what I can morally or legally do."

"Just do what you can."

I hear them talk as I am bringing the maps we are going to use. They are underestimating my range of hearing, as most people do.

Unfortunately, the rangers are not the trusting fools I hoped they would be, but neither am I.

* * *

I arrive for dinner at exactly 2030. Apparently, no one told the rangers the time code of this area because they already arrived shortly after 2000.

While Melina's oldest daughter, Debra, is keeping the rangers company and while Melina is doing last minute preparations in the kitchen, Fox is politely asking about Debra's favorite school subject. Niko is listening and otherwise giving a hand in keeping Debra's youngest brother, Aafreen, away from the fuses in the wall.

The rangers somehow look at home here, unlike me.

Melina emerges from the kitchen and sharply claps her hands to assemble everyone at the table for dinner, including us, her husband and her five children.

We get an enormous plate of fresh vegetables in lemon sauce and an even bigger platter of rice and lentils. Fortunately, we do not have to eat everything. They would be quite shocked if we did. It is touching how generously they serve food although they do expect you to reciprocate their hospitality.

Unfortunately for them, I have no intention of doing so.

"So, are our borders safe?" Melina's husband, Wallace, jokes.

"Crown vessels are staying on their side of the border," Fox replies calmly.

I can hear the 'mostly' even if he does not say it.

"We've also been able to conclude peace agreements with the Traash and the Leotides," Niko adds. She is trying to look demure, but from her confident smile, one could almost think she negotiated these herself.

"See, there's no need for you to become soldiers just yet," Melina tells her boys. "The rangers have everything under control."

"So what do you want to be when you grow up?" Captain Fox asks the children.

The boys, Eric and Kamran, say they want to be explorers, but they are too young for anyone to take them seriously. Debra, as oldest daughter, will take over her mother's shop, there is not much discussion there. Tamasi wants to be a teacher, no debate there either.

"I want to be a sheriff," Faizan says defiantly.

Her mother looks disapproving at me, Niko, and Faizan simultaneously.

"I want to help people," Faizan insists.

"People will also need nurses and engineers to help them," I tell her.

I do not see a need to discourage her, but I will not encourage her either. It is a hard life, even if it is the only one I know.

"We'll decide that when you're older," her father says sternly.

After that, the conversation drifts to trade, and Niko manages to give quite a detailed report of which planets are trading which commodities, though unfortunately she cannot give Melina retail prices for spices. Fox lightens the conversation by contributing some anecdotes about smugglers stupid enough to get caught because of mice in their cargo.

When Melina serves dessert, fried dough balls in peach syrup, she turns the conversation back to personal matters.

"So when will your man be back?" Melina asks me. I force myself to smile. I hate discussing my private life with anyone, especially people who gossip as much as the women of the town.

I notice Melina is avoiding to either call Ray my boyfriend or husband. As long as they do not ask whether we are married, they do not have to react to the fact that we are not.

"In a week or so," I lie.

She makes a disapproving noise. "He should take better care of you."

Again I have to suppress an angry laugh. I do not need Ray to take care of me. In fact, it has always been me who took care of him and the other troopers.

Most punishments at Wolf Den were summary, so keeping the others out of trouble was a way of keeping myself out of trouble.

But Ray made me feel wanted. Precious. Gave me a reason why I wanted to live and not just survive. What do these settlers understand about that with their family schemes and dynasty building ambitions?

While Fox compliments Melina on her cooking and coaxes the recipe for it out of her and while Niko tries to give a simplified explanation of hyperdrive travel to the boys, I manage to eat dessert in silence

Not for the first time, I wish I were somewhere else, but I do not know where that would be.

* * *

When I come home, I pack what I will need for the next week: camping gear, food, medicine, a change of clothing. It does not take more than ten minutes. I am prepared to travel at short notice, and I have always been able to subsist on little. I leave a note for Ray, telling him to wait for me if he returns before me. The text is non-descriptive; it is just something of my own handwriting to let him know I am okay. I am a bit worried if he comes back to town while I am away, but to risk letting the rangers run into him would be even more foolish.

Even if we argue, I feel better if he is around.

I am the only survivor of my original unit. Diseases and genetic instabilities killed all other light manipulators, one after the other. They transferred me to another unit when I was eight. I did not want to lose anyone else, but life was not about my wishes. I learned to put on a hard face for the other troopers, especially Killbane. Then they transferred yet another boy to our unit, and I could see that he was even more scared than I, although he tried to put on a brave face as well. And I decided that troopers take care of each other no matter what the rules.

I busy myself reviewing the warrants for wanted criminals. Even though I have already committed them to memory, I need to do something.

There is too much time and too little to do in Rani Town. I guess it is one of the reasons why Ray and I argue so much. We both need only five hours of sleep.

At Wolf Den, we had study tasks that would keep us busy until midnight and we would be woken at 0500 to begin our morning exercises.

I am thinking too much of a life that is past.

At Laramie's estate, I would watch humans, learning where they could be dangerous. Anything can be dangerous in numbers. I was studying how to blend in enough if I had to, learning what I could about other species and planets, what I needed to know if we had to run again. The simulations at Wolf Den had left out many details, and despite my training to act as a spy, I had never thought I would learn so much about the habits of criminal low life.

Boredom can kill. I sometimes catch myself thinking about home improvement.

As I am lying in bed alone, the memories come unbidden.

* * *

_# Wolf Den practice ground. _

My team is the blue one, and we have to steal a valuable data crystal from the red team. It is the first time I have been made team leader in a battle simulation, and I am determined to do well. I have my team split up, and we attack the red ones under the cover of night. Our snipers smoothly take out theirs, and I have guards positioned to intercept possible escapees. My team wins; we retrieve the data crystal undamaged from our opponents. Only two troopers from the blue team have been taken out. Commander Negata commends me and makes some suggestions on how to improve strategy. Commander Walsh just stares at me icily, and I realize he expected me to bring back all of my team. Then he proceeds to give a detailed critique of each person's moves to everyone, and I, feeling empty and cold inside, have to look down.

* * *

I awake with a start. There is no one in the room with me. Only ordinary night sounds of Rani Town reach my ear. I am not in the barracks at Wolf Den.

My heart is beating fast. Battle ready but there is no one to fight.

I try to calm myself. Why should I care what Walsh, who sacrificed all of us, thinks of me?

Stealth is what I need. The rangers suspect I am a former outlaw, but they have no idea what I am. It is a pity New Chennai's amnesty does not extend to government property on the run. I do not like criminals, so I will help the rangers catch whoever is abducting trappers and miners, but I will not regret it either if they perish in the course of duty. They are only humans.

Why then do I feel like the 12-year old girl who failed to bring her team back?


	3. Chapter 3

We ride at sunrise.

I scout the way. First, we follow the main track. After about a kilometer, we stop making horizontal progress as we are climbing up a winding way. We have to cover at least 600 meters like that before we get to a plateau that the river has carved into the rocks. With our robosteeds to carry us, it is not so much the exertion that makes the trip difficult nor the steepness since we all seem to be skilled riders, but it is the possibility that someone could be hiding behind the trees for an ambush. I keep my guard up at all times and am relieved to see the rangers doing the same. At least, they did not send rookies for this mission. If we avoid being taken by surprise, we will have ample cover to return fire.

The trees mostly block out the sun; a slight morning mist is making the air damp. The shawl I am wearing keeps me warm, but my discomfort goes deeper than that. I grew up in a flat desert that had no trees, offered little shade and where the scarcity of water taught me survival skills. I thought the different scenery might help me to forget, but it just brings home how much things are different.

At heart, I am still a soldier. I cannot settle down peacefully in a stuffed chair in front of a sparkling fire place and comfortably read a book.

I pit myself against the mountains, but doing survival training in the snow and rock, climbing the steepest precipices with only my hands just reminds me how out of place I am.

The last stretch of the trail before we reach the plateau is so steep that we have to lead the horses on foot. Except for the command to dismount and occasional questions about the terrain, Captain Fox has been silent and so has Ranger Niko. I wonder how long the silence will last since yesterday has given me ample demonstration of their conversational skills. I will never understand how humans can talk so much.

When we finally reach the plateau and with it a stretch of open meadow, Captain Fox calls a lunch break. I have to remind myself that they have to eat more often than I do. I could keep going until evening, but I might as well have a snack now.

I relax slightly as we are sitting on some stones in the sun, munching on dried bread, dried fruit and some Kiwi bars, but I do not let down my guard completely.

The rangers have refused to put on camouflage clothes instead of their uniforms, and a party of three with robosteeds will draw a lot of attention anyway and make us promising targets. About an hour from here, there is a narrow alleyway framed by high crags up to the next level of altitude; we will be sitting ducks while climbing there. Before word of a recently arrived team of Galaxy Rangers spreads to criminal ears, I would like to cover that ascent quickly.

"Do you spend a lot of time in these mountains, Sheriff Miller?"

My break from conversation is apparently up.

"When I have to bring someone in," I reply evenly as I keep watching the edge of the forest around us.

Too late, I recognize my wording. I meant missing people like miners and trappers.

I am not hunting criminals now. I am not a hunter.

"You've worked as a bounty hunter," Fox states matter-of-factly.

No use denying it. It is a story we have told the whole village. "Yes."

"So what brought you here?" He is trying to sound casual, but I recognize an interrogation when I see it. I parry with a blatant lie.

"I want a home and a family some day. This place is as good as any to settle down."

"There'd be nicer towns not quite so out of the way."

"I like the quiet."

"Where are you originally from?" Niko interjects.

I should have expected a questioning even though the people of Rani Town generally are too polite to ask about my past. I failed to think up a convincing back story, but I can lie in a way that will make them come to the wrong conclusions.

"I was born in a badly terra-formed mining colony, barely more than a rock with a dome of air." One of Laramie's goons was from the Blueridge Colony in the Saturn Belt, and I had to listen to his stories about cracks in the hull, gravity outages and the desperate wait for the next supply ship when Ray had dragged me to play poker with him. I can give enough details if they try to dig deeper, and even if they grow suspicious, they will not know what I am hiding.

"There are many who see taking up arms as the only way out of the hole where they have been born. Few enough of them wind up on the right side of the law."

For a second, I am startled before I catch myself.

Somehow Fox has stopped the questioning and conceded me a point. I use the opening to start an attack of my own.

"What made you end up as a Galaxy Ranger?"

He gives a short rough laugh. "Mars and the fact that I hate running."

I stare at Niko, willing her to answer the question as well. She has been quiet so far, but I have noticed she has been watching me closely, not missing a word or gesture.

She shrugs.

"It was better than a career in teaching or gardening."

"You're from a sleepers' colony?" I pursue.

"I'm from an outer colony, yes."

She hesitates just a little in saying it, and I suddenly wonder whether the Galaxy Rangers do background checks or whether these are rangers at all.

"What did you study?"

"Archeology."

Again I wonder whether they at least do a sanity check.

* * *

We ascend the steep slope quickly not stopping for a break until we have reached cover. I have to give the rangers credit; they spread out far enough that it will not be easy taking out both of them at once. I remind myself that they are not just some bandits who learned that brandishing a gun pays better than farm work. They have military training, and it will not do for me to underestimate them.

I repeatedly check the stone cliffs to both our sides for snipers or spies, but neither with my enhanced eyesight nor the help of a field glass can I detect anyone.

Yet I cannot shake the feeling of being watched. Sometimes survival and paranoia lie close together.

I feel a little calmer when we leave the open expanse of the ascent and enter the canopy of the woods again. The trees are less high because of the altitude, but they grow closer together here than on the slopes we have climbed up since there is more soil to cling to for them.

Since spring storms have uprooted quite a few of them, progress is slow and monotonous. I have to focus, to concentrate on the task of listening for sounds made by humanoids or anything dangerous. A wandering mind can be lethal, and I have no one I trust to back me up.

"Would you know any safe place for our camp site this evening?" Fox asks me suddenly. I think for a moment. There are no safe places in this world, only those that can be defended more easily.

"I believe I know a place that we can reach by late afternoon," I say. It is a clearing with a rocky overhang on one side to shelter us, enough space for a tent but not wide enough to be easily detected from above. There is also a creek nearby. It will do.

"Do we have to be prepared for bear encounters?" Niko asks.

"The largest predators in these mountains are cat like mammals similar to Earth's cougars; they usually avoid humans. If they don't, you'll probably be dead before you notice them."

Niko grimaces at that. Fox gives her a look as though to say 'what is it'.

She just shakes her head. "At least Bronto bears are easy to detect."

He gives a low chuckle and motions us to continue.

Trees are slowly getting sparser as we are steadily fighting our way upward with the horses in tow. The sun has already disappeared behind the surrounding peaks, and it is getting decidedly cool. Shortly past 1700 with enough time to set up camp and make sure there are no unpleasant surprises near, we reach the clearing I had in mind.

I offer to scout out the perimeter. Fox offers to come with me.

"That's not necessary," I try to decline coolly.

"I don't doubt your abilities, but it will help all of us to have good reconnaissance of the terrain."

It is hard to argue with that. I assume Niko will do her round of the area when we are back as I see her unpacking cooking utensils, and she starts preparing dinner.

I show Fox the small creek I remember. The spring snowmelt has doubled the normally small runlet in size. It will be no problem to replenish our water supplies.

"Do you come here often?" Fox asks me.

I do not answer. I thought the questioning was over.

"I am going to check out the small holes along the ledge," I tell him. "Some are large enough to hide a person."

He nods.

"Your help has been very valuable, Sheriff Miller.

When I return, Niko has set up a large aluminum pot on a camping stove, and she and Fox are busy setting up their tent.

She smiles at me.

"Dinner will be ready in some minutes. We're going to have vegetable stew with Kiwi chickpeas. You're welcome to share it with us."

"Thank you," I say. I was taught manners even if it was not the highest priority in my training, and I understand it would be rude to decline her offer. Besides, it would be stupid to shun already prepared food.

I quickly set up my own tent and then sit down on a log waiting for the stew to be done; I wonder again where Ray is. I am not sure whether to be reassured or worried that I have not seen any sign of him so far.

If I were with Ray, I would do the cooking. He does not have the patience to watch the stove while I do not mind.

As much as constantly having to watch myself not to display any extraordinary strength or endurance while I am with these rangers is a nuisance, I have to admit that if I were here with Ray, we would already be arguing.

I allow my thoughts to drift a bit while Fox and Niko are discussing the best strategy to explore these mountains and find who- or whatever is responsible for the disappearances.

It is not like Ray and I never argued at Wolf Den. He thought I was too bent on following the rules, and I would shout back he never knew when to keep his mouth shut, but that was it. Now our arguments are getting more and more ridiculous.

Last time, he accused me of cheating on him with Killbane; I did not even deign that with a reply. Before that, it was that I would deliberately pack only weak snake and reptile antidotes to incapacitate him and keep him in the house if he should be bitten.

The most hurtful thing he ever said was that I had called the Galaxy Rangers to Frontier. Sure, a secret message from me was more likely to have attracted enemy troops than his flaunting his powers. I would laugh about it, but it hurts he would even consider such a thing. Maybe what happened on Frontier was the wakeup call we needed, but seeing Goose again brought back too many memories that I would rather keep buried.

"Would you like meat with the stew?" Captain Fox asks me.

I instantly snap back to the present.

"Whatever you have."

I was raised on a well-balanced, nutritious but tasteless mixture of proteins, fats and carbohydrates; I am not picky about my food.

"We have some beefy jerky, if you like," Fox adds.

"I'm fine with whatever you eat."

"I'm vegetarian, but I understand if not everyone shares my convictions," Niko explains.

About half of the people in Rani Town are vegetarian, but I have never understood the peculiar human attitude not to eat certain edible things for ethical reasons.

My thoughts must have shown on my face because Niko adds,

"I just don't like to eat things that have eyes to look at me."

It is beyond me how someone with that outlook chose a career in the military.

Moreover, she is able to read me better than I would like her to.

"I'd like to have the beef then," I say to settle the matter.

Fox flashes me a wide grin as he hands me a bowl of soup with some strips of beef in it.

We are eating peacefully, yet I feel like I am facing undefined danger. Hopefully, they will just play cards or whatever it is they do in the evenings and leave me alone.

By the time we finish our food, the stars have started coming out.

"Seems like it's going to be a clear night," Fox comments.

"Niko, I'd like you to have a look around our camp. See if you detect anything unusual. I'll clean up here."

"Roger, Captain."

They are efficient and they are cautious; these are things I can appreciate, though I would feel better if I knew what they are looking for.

"Could you help us build a campfire, Ms Miller?" Fox asks me politely.

"Of course."

I start gathering branches and see him busy himself boiling water again, probably to make tea. I decide the opportunity is as good as any to get more information.

"What exactly are you expecting to find out here?"

He looks up from the camp stove and studies me for a moment.

"We always investigate unusual disappearances."

"Why not let local law enforcement handle it?"

He seems to consider his reply for a moment.

"Not to doubt your abilities, but the price on any human's head in this galaxy is high. We like to investigate ourselves."

He is talking about Crown headhunters then.

"Would the Crown venture this far inside League space?"

"Deep space has become a very insecure place since the Queen has taken an interest in human freighters, and we've even had a raid on an isolated Kirwin village."

"Despite the Kirwin defense shield?"

"It – malfunctioned for a short time."

I suppose that malfunction was deliberately engineered by the enemy.

"There are also those who might find the temptation too much and will sell anything to the Queen for money."

Scum that will sell out their own kind. The thought makes me angry even though I am not, strictly speaking, human myself.

"So what is the estimate on human slaver lords we might already be facing?"

His face takes a hard look.

"We will not allow the Queen to keep any human prisoners."

I want to ask more, but he turns away and apparently considers the conversation closed.

I busy myself gathering firewood again and then start building it up into a small heap. Maybe I can learn more about our real strategic position toward the Crown Empire later.

"Do you prefer green tea, mint or both?" Fox inquires suddenly.

I find it odd he would ask me since it is his tea, though I have learned in New Chennai that showing a polite face is deemed very important by some.

"I don't mind either way."

"It is really difficult to read you, Ms Miller." I can hear a hint of amusement in his voice though it is beyond me why he would find my attempt to fit in with camp life funny.

Maybe he really is trying to be considerate, and since I do not enjoy playing games, I tell him, "I'd prefer mint."

He seems to consider that funny again but suppresses his smile when he sees my disapproving look and just throws some tea bags into the boiling water.

I have become rather hardened to any type of tea experience; whether they serve me hot water with color, a bitter brew, something sweet as syrup or resembling herbal medicine, I will drink it since there is no way I will get any information about an incident or a suspect without sitting down with local people for tea first.

"Who's looking after your children while you're here?" I resume my conversation with Fox. I have found out that most parents will talk blithely about their children and divulge a lot of useful information that way.

Fox face brightens at the mention of his children.

"They both go to residential schools. My daughter was accepted by the Albert Einstein School for the Gifted. My son can't wait to finish school and be a professional volley ball player, a Galaxy Ranger or both."

I get that he is very proud of his children and close to them despite the frequent absence forced by his job.

"And your wife?" I ask.

He pauses from stirring the tea pot for a moment then says,

"She's ... unable to help take care of our children at the moment."

I get the feeling I will not be able to learn more about that topic.

"Would you like sugar with your tea?"

"Please not."

I hate sweetened tea. Sometimes I can even convince my Indian hosts of it.

"So when do you plan to start a family?" Fox tries to change the subject.

I want to snap that it is none of his business when I remember that wanting a family was the reason I gave for settling in Rani Town.

"I don't know. It's... complicated right now." My own voice sounds defensive to me.

He nods. "Starting a family out of a stable relationship and with a solid income is easier."

For a moment, I wonder how he knows about Ray and our troubles, but then I catch his far-away look and conclude he is talking about his own experience. I feel oddly embarrassed by the whole exchange.

Niko coming back relieves me of having to say anything more.

"No sign of imminent trouble. There are traces that people have been here before us but not recently."

"Okay, we'll set up a night watch, and the robosteeds will stay alert."

"I don't have the extra fuel cells for that," I object. It's a frontier world. It was cheaper for the town to fuel the robosteed I brought than to buy me a live horse but not by much if I use up fuel cells for things such as a night watch. Solar recharging is just too slow to really work.

"Mel and Brutus will suffice," Fox orders.

"Niko, you take first shift, I'll take second; Sheriff Miller, would you mind taking third shift?"

"Certainly."

I realize he has taken the most difficult part himself. I can see how his team would follow him loyally.

Niko gets herself a cup of tea. We sit in silence once again.

I keep sipping my tea. It is bearable but not more.

"Would you prefer coffee?" Niko asks suddenly. "I still have the coffee emergency rations we always bring, and neither Zach nor I will drink them."

I try not to show it, but my face must have given me away. If I have a choice, I prefer coffee by far.

I cannot place the strange grin on Niko's and Fox's faces.

Niko goes to fetch a small package from her robosteed.

"What's so funny?" I ask.

Niko schools her features to be bland. "Nothing."

Fox keeps grinning. "We have a colleague who will drink outrageous amounts of coffee at any time of day or night. We always have some emergency coffee rations to get along with him, especially in the morning."

I do not need to understand that.

After they have cleaned and packed away their cooking utensils, Fox and Niko start a discussion of border town economics. They try to draw me into it, but I keep my participation in the conversation to a minimum.

I do not think these mountains will have the population density to attract a railway any time soon. Even if they do, I have no intention of letting myself be tied to the rails, like one of their colleagues apparently managed.

I am itching to ask some questions: which ranger team would handle difficult cases such as underground missions on Tortuna or going after dangerous outlaws such as the Blackhole Gang – or renegade Supertroopers – but despite their sometimes irritating talkativeness, they have been guarded not to divulge strategic information, and I am afraid my questions would generate more suspicion than answers.

I am not even sure I want to know the answers, but from what I have seen from Walsh he will not just bemoan the failed Supertrooper project but find a replacement to protect Earth, from aliens and the danger they have created themselves.

I cannot afford to be ignorant.

I should have questioned Goose about what he had been doing in the past two years, but I was too busy keeping him and Ray from fighting, hoping against hope that we would not need to fight.

I cannot afford any more mistakes.

I am tired, and it is not the exertion. I am trying too hard not to remember things.

I am oddly relieved when Fox calls it bedtime and Niko begins her night watch. I can retire to my tent and pretend to sleep now.

I do not completely trust humans, but I am a light sleeper, and between them and the robotic horses, I should be safe enough.


	4. Chapter 4

I am awake an hour before Fox wakes me for third shift. I keep my breathing slow and recite battle maneuvers in my head to pass the time. When Fox calls me, I feign sleepiness. Now I can at least leave the tent.

Three hours to stay alert in the darkness, peering into grey shadows at a half moon.

I know this is no training ground. Even if we have seen no sign of danger so far, I know that if I slip, I may die for real.

The buildings at Wolf Den were under surveillance: the common room, the dormitory, even the showers, so our only private moments were out in the desert. We always had to be battle-ready, but sometimes we would let our guard down just enough to enjoy some moments and … live.

Ray and I first kissed on night watch.

I do not think there ever was much tenderness between troopers, but we had some. Well, at least later. When I first noticed him, he had made a move on me, and, on reflex, I had floored him for it. He told me with this cocky grin of his he would rather be hit by me than fucked by any of the other girls.

He was always so sure I would be his. I do not know where he got the confidence. He annoyed me. He was persistent and somehow that flattered me.

Finally, I decided he needed someone to take care of him.

They did not allow us much of a life at Wolf Den. We were allowed a special interest, provided it could be useful. I chose biology. It was the closest I could get to medicine.

Everyone but me from my original unit died of a virus infection similar to the common flu. Their new improved genes were unstable and interacted with the virus in a lethal way. My genetic designs were less advanced but more stable. I survived.

After that, I wanted to understand what had killed the others.

I also learned that life was short and precious, and no later lesson that we were expendable could erase that.

The stars are shining clear and bright tonight. I try to keep my thoughts on the present, watch the shadows, listen for sounds, but there is no one besides me and my memories.

Ray and I first made love under a starry sky like tonight. 'Love' is a human word, and for Supertroopers, it is a weakness. But I feel something for Ray and I do not want to be without him.

He changed after we left Wolf Den, and I am not even sure I can blame it on X-factor. The chemical hardly affected me.

I think Wolf Den sowed what it is reaping now a long time ago; only other people are paying the price. I am not sure whether their ignorance makes them guilty, and in a universe where everyone is out for their own survival, these categories do not matter much anyway.

Ray always used to break the rules, out of principle.

Killbane would get carried away when he was trying to show off; Gravestone might simply be too stupid too comprehend how the rules applied to a complicated situation; Shimmerer would put a lot of effort into giving the appearance she was perfectly complying with the rules; Brainchild would always have an elaborate plan how things were supposed to play off, and I – I was trying to make sure everyone survived.

Ray – he made me see I was a person in my own right.

He would give me little presents, a flower, when he found one, or a short note to let me know he was thinking of me – or our next time alone. He could be provocative, but he drew me out of my set habits. I felt alive with him.

He used to break the rules, but they still kept him in check. After Wolf Den, he lashed out wildly. I do not want the life of a criminal. I do not need diamonds or gold chains or stolen riches.

I steal if I have to, but I do not want to. Life is hard on everyone. I will not make it harder on anyone else if not necessary.

I do not understand why Ray felt such a need to prove he was tough and mean. There were rivalries among us Supertroopers, and especially the BDCs seemed to have a constant contest who could withstand more, but why Ray would feel a need to show off to Laramie's men was beyond me.

It is becoming harder and harder to get through to him, and as much as I hope that this place will calm him, I know it does not.

* * *

When the first rays of the sun graze the horizon, I feel not tired but weary.

Ranger Niko climbs out of the tent she has been sharing with Fox and heads away from camp.

"Stay within earshot," I automatically tell her.

"I will." She gives me a wry smile.

Later I see her doing moves that must be Tai-Chi or something similar. Not directly martial arts but something that will help her flexibility. She keeps it up a full half an hour.

I do some stretches myself, but I do not want anyone to see me train. The morning is chilly. I decide to build up last night's campfire again to prepare for breakfast.

"I don't want to miss a sunrise when I get a chance to see one. I spend so much time in space that every sunrise I catch is special. Besides, I'm an early riser. Zachary will be up by seven," Niko tells me as she joins me by the campfire.

Wonderful. So I only have to talk to her for half an hour.

"Did the mining colony where you're from have day and night or did everyone keep their personal sleep cycle?" she asks me.

"We tried to keep 25-hour day-night cycles, but the energy grid of the dome had so many malfunctions that we spent half our waking time in the dark."

Or so have I been told.

"Where did you do boot camp?" I change the topic. I am not in a talkative mood and I definitely do not want another interrogation.

"Australia. I was studying on Earth when I applied to the Galaxy Rangers, so they sent me there instead of Mars. Though I did not spend much time on Earth after that, most of my training was on space stations or colony planets," Niko says conversationally. She has shifter around so that she is facing me directly now.

"How did you learn your trade? Did you work for the military once?" Niko asks me another question.

"I don't have regular military training. I learned what was required of me. I still try to pick up useful skills when I see them."

Not a lie, not really the truth. Not really what I want to talk about.

She must have picked up the uncomfortable silence because she changes the topic herself.

"Do you have any idea whether this planet's lizards have been classified? I've seen quite a lot on the way, even up here."

I am glad this is an innocuous topic about which I can speak.

"Most of them are venomous. Lizards here are what snakes on Earth are. Don't touch them, and give them a wide berth. We have specific serums only against a few. The large pharmaceutical companies gene-sequenced three of the most common species, manufactured proteins from the genes for the venom and produced antibodies against it, but if you're bitten by a non-related species, you're out of luck."

Niko has been listening with interest. I throw some more branches on the fire and add, as an afterthought.

"About a third of them are neurotoxic for humans, causing respiratory paralysis quickly. If you're lucky, it's a cytotoxic one, and it just causes pain and swelling."

"You know a lot about lizards."

I shrug.

"I like to know what I'm up against."

She nods.

"We have generic antidotes with us, but a snake or lizard bite is so far behind other causes of death on duty that it's not really given any priority."

"And what is the main cause of death on duty?"

"Gun fights, shipwreck …"

"How are you coping with alien diseases?"

"Immuno boosters if we go somewhere unknown, a lot of vaccinations otherwise. It's really only a problem if we can't avoid the food, like on Tarkon."

"Shouldn't they be able to defend themselves against the Crown on their own by now?" I remember a bulletin about Crown activity where it was mentioned the Crown fleet suffered a huge loss at Tarkon, and I would like to know more.

"The Crown's not the only enemy. Besides, I really hope that some day I'll be able to explore the archeological sites on Tarkon at leisure."

She gets a wistful look on her face. Before she can give me any details about archeological digs, however, I press on.

"What about the orders we get that the Crown should under no circumstances be allowed to get human prisoners?"

That gets her attention.

"What about them?"

"What if the prisoners cannot be saved?"

She is looking down into the fire.

"The orders leave room for interpretation."

I suddenly have enough of her diplomatic answers.

"And what would you do? Would you kill the prisoners or let them become slaver lords to kill others?"

Silence. I am waiting for some excuses that she would do her best to avoid that situation.

When I am not even expecting an answer anymore, she says,

"I wouldn't kill them."

As hopelessly idealistic as that is, I have to give her credit for being honest.

Silence stretches between us, which is fine with me.

"Would you care to show me which plants around here are edible?"

I am surprised by the question. I have to admit she makes good use of her time.

"Unfortunately, very few. Mostly roots that you would have to dig up."

I start showing her, and she watches me attentively. I cannot say she is not alert.

Fox emerges from his tent soon-after, and we have a nutritious oatmeal breakfast before we start riding.

The possible ship hiding spots I show to the rangers are empty and unused, and all evidence so far is pointing toward local bandits. I wonder how the rangers intend to find the bandits they are chasing in this wilderness. I assume it will either have to be by luck or because they find us. I make sure never to let my guard against ambushes down.

* * *

This routine continues for two more days: silent riding during the day, conversations about living conditions on frontier worlds and interstellar travel at supper. I do not contribute much to the conversations, but I learn that planet Prairie has an indigenous wolf-like intelligent species that peacefully co-exists with the settlers. I guess it proves the universe is never done throwing surprises at you. I mean, the bloodthirsty aliens I was trained to fight against are mostly just interested in their own affairs, and Lycans are making an effort to be the better dogs!

I also learn that the new territories on planet Ozark are in even more desperate need of qualified law enforcement officers than New Chennai. I make a note of that, should we need to run again. Apparently, even someone named Carson with a criminal record as long a as a comet managed to become a mayor there.

The rangers are companionable enough, but the inactivity and constantly having to be careful what I reveal about myself are getting on my nerves. As soon as they knew who I am, they would consider me an enemy. I am also worried that I have seen no sign of Ray.

On the fourth day, we reach Calvaga Pass. The pass is no longer frozen, but it still gets very cold at night. What bothers me more is that everyone will be able to see us when we cross the open space, and whoever may be waiting will have time to set up a nice ambush.

Niko and Fox pause and study the pass in silence. They do not discuss the danger, but even they cannot be blind to it. I have to reign in my temper; three days of playing the helpful scout have made me testy. I am ready to fight, but going up Calvaga without knowing what is waiting for us will be suicide for them.

"Is there any way around this pass?" Fox asks.

"No. Not without aircraft."

"Then we'll have to brave it," Niko says.

Their stupidity riles me. They do not stand a chance against superior numbers in that terrain.

I do not have a problem leaving leadership to capable people, but apparently, they are not; that is also the reason why I never got along with Killbane. He would just attack head-first, blind to his own weaknesses, trusting in his strength and bio-defenses and not care about losses.

The rangers are preparing to ride on but – somehow – I cannot let them.

"Wait!"

That stops them.

"Yes, Sheriff Miller?"

"There is another way, but it involves climbing. If you go through one of the side valleys, you reach an almost vertical cliff. There are enough cracks to climb up within several hours, but we could not take the horses up like that. I suggest you wait half a day while I make the journey and scout out the terrain. Then you can come up with the horses. If there is a set-up for an ambush, I can warn you and attack them from behind."

Fox looks doubtful.

"I don't think…"

Niko puts a hand on his arm.

"I think we should let Sheriff Miller do what she suggested, Zach."

Something that I cannot quite fathom passes between them, then Fox nods.

"All right, you take the side route, Sheriff Miller."

I leave my robosteed with them and take off without another word.

They have the oddest chain of command I have ever seen.


	5. Chapter 5

The side route is a steep ascent, but I negotiate it at a medium jog. I know it will take me about three hours. Half a day is my estimate how long it would take a fit human.

I hope the rangers will wait up for me. They might not if they think I am about to desert or betray them. I am surprised at the anger that wells up in me at that thought.

After about two hours, I reach the cliff, a huge mass of grey rock with reddish or ocher horizontal stripes where ores and minerals have colored the stone. The wind is chilling but not too much to keep me from getting where I want to. Determinedly, I start the climb, wedging my feet and fingers into tiny cracks and drawing myself up inch by inch, allowing my anger to fuel my strength but not to distract me.

I have climbed this rock before; the mountains are the only real challenge here.

I feel alive when I beat them. It is a shallow victory, but it is real, not like the battle simulations I will never see again.

Midway up the cliff, I pause on a ledge, lying low, catching my breath. I want to cover the rest of the climb quickly lest anyone has time to detect me. The valley below me is a mixture of green, brown and grey: patches of grass, boulders, barren soil. The only way is forward.

I push myself up again to finish the climb.

I have almost reached the top when trouble strikes. The remaining slope is less steep, with enough soil for some gnarled trees to cling to. It is difficult to see ahead with that terrain. As I am covering the two vertical meters that separate one ledge from the next, a stun beam hits me. It is medium strength, not enough to knock me out but enough to slow me down. I let myself fall down to the last protrusion a meter below me and pretend to be unconscious, waiting for whoever will surface. I have glimpsed one shooter, but there could be more.

I do not have to wait long for a man in dirty cowboy clothes with a large rifle to come down for me.

"It's a pity such a pretty face chose to side with the rangers. Such a beautiful fallen star…"

He has a leer on his face and is reaching for me with one of his grubby hands.

He does not get to do whatever he planned to do to me because that is when I knock out his feet from under him, punch his jaw and take him in a stranglehold, holding him as a shield in front of me. He cannot utter a single cry.

Nothing moves after a minute, so I assume he was alone. When I am sure he is unconscious, I drag him to a tree and tie and gag him, using his own scarf and belt.

I recognize the man from one of the warrants I have seen as Jeremy Russ, wanted for cattle theft and murder.

It is a pity I might need to question such an ugly face later, but I do not kill without need, and he did not see me use any special powers.

I am not a BDC, but it would take at least triple heavy stun to knock me out. Pity for him he did not know. I hope his jaw is broken.

What worries me, though, is why someone was waiting at that cliff. It is not a known route; in fact, I do not think anyone but me or Ray knows of it. Maybe it is just a coincidence, but I hurry on nonetheless.

When I reach the top of the pass, the sight of an enormous stone heap greets me. There must have been a rockslide. I see some lost equipment, a blaster and a saddlebag, but it is not a design I recognize. As I climb over the rocks as fast as caution allows me, I see Niko and Fox, unharmed. Niko is fussing over a broken robosteed; Fox is standing guard. He trains his rifle on me when he notices my figure but takes it down as soon as he recognizes me.

"What happened?" I ask. It seems that the bandits we are looking for got caught in whatever they wanted to unleash on us.

"An ambush, just as you suspected," Fox comments dryly.

"Only that Niko was able to detect them before they spied us."

He does not say anything about me taking only half the time I said I would need to get up here; I refrain from commenting that they did not wait for me.

The atmosphere is tense.

"Have you been able to access the memory of the robosteed, which coordinates it has been to?" I inquire.

Fox shakes his head.

"The memory was fried when the whole robosteed was hit by the stones and short-circuited. We do not have the equipment with us to restore the data.

Niko still has her hands on the broken robosteed. It almost looks as though she is trying to repair it by the laying of hands. I have seen stranger things, but that does not mean I believe they work.

"Can you get anything?" Fox asks Niko.

Niko keeps her concentration a moment longer before taking her hands off the mechanical horse.

"It comes from farther up in the mountains, but I cannot pinpoint it."

I want to ask how she knows when the realization hits me. She is psychic.

After a second of panic, I smooth my mental shields. Not all psychics are telepaths. Even if she is, I know my mental shields are strong. We managed to walk around on Mars undetected among a multitude of psychic investigators, who were on high alert, until Ray started robbing stores.

All I need to do is keep my thoughts away from suspicious places and finish this mission as soon as possible.

"How many bandits did you face?" I ask.

"Ten," Fox replies, outwardly calm, but I can see the anger boiling underneath.

"And now that they all fled, we don't have any idea where they went."

"I guess you shouldn't have caused that rockslide, Zach. That sent them packing," Niko comments with an ironic smile.

By now I recognize that her smiles, even a sarcastic remark, cover her concern.

Good. Everything that distracts her from focusing on me is good.

Fox grunts, "You taking out their snipers didn't encourage them either."

Niko sighs, "So how do we find them now that they're warned?"

"I caught a bandit on the way up here," I say coldly.

"I tied him up, so I don't think he went anywhere."

The sooner we take out these bandits, and the rangers leave, the better. I know I would not be in this situation if I had not ignored reports about missing miners and trappers. Rani Town was my responsibility, and I let the situation get out of hand.

Fox and Niko exchange silent glances and seem to agree to my suggestion.

"Lead us to that man," Fox orders.

I head off at a brisk pace: over the rim of the pass, through a stretch of wood, to the top of the cliff where I left the unlucky outlaw trussed up. Fox and Niko are constantly scanning for an ambush now, and I realize they are paying attention not to walk behind me.

I would not need that advantage if I wanted to take them out, but I will not be forced into a stupid move by insult, open or concealed. That is one of the most valuable lessons I learned during my training. If you let your anger rule you, you are dead.

I will see this through. I do not have time for a confrontation about their sudden mistrust, and we need to prepare for the fight with the bandits.

After about ten minutes of fast walking, we reach the cliff. The bandit I took out is still tied to the tree where I left him.

He looks up dazed when we approach. Blood is trickling from his mouth where I hit him and smeared about his face and his sand-colored hair.

Niko gives me a questioning look.

"He tried to shoot me," I say simply. She understands what I do not say.

Captain Fox removes the gag from our prisoner's mouth while Niko is just staring disdainfully at the tied-up man.

"It seems you're in trouble," Fox states laconically to our prisoner.

"You don't have any proof," he whispers.

"Yes, we do," Niko cuts in.

"Tony Madrox lived long enough to identify who shot him, Mr. Russ," she adds almost gently. "He leaves a wife and three children. I don't think the judge will count that in your favor."

"It was an accident," Russ stammers. Fear is starting to show in his eyes, and I realize he can hardly be twenty. Given what he tried to do to me earlier, I have no sympathy for him. If you are old enough to shoot, you are old enough to be shot – or hanged.

Niko is leaning over Russ now.

"Five shots in plain daylight – an accident?" She raises her eyebrow only slightly, but the effect could not have been bigger if she shouted.

"No, I didn't shoot him. Walrus was leading that raid. Iwan and Carlos wanted to prove themselves. I didn't fire any shot." Panic is giving Russ' voice a high pitch.

"It seems like you've fallen in with some bad company, Mr. Russ," Fox states calmly.

"I didn't do it," Russ stutters, almost crying now. "I wouldn't…"

"The punishment for cattle theft alone is hanging," Niko interrupts him.

"I didn't do it," Russ whimpers.

"Then who did?" Fox asks coldly.

Russ finally catches on.

"Trumpet was behind it, and Domi and Jackson scout out the raids. Fan and Gon are the sharpshooters."

Fox nods.

"If you lead us to their hideout and testify against them in court, that might save your life."

Russ does not need any further prodding. He keeps singing for over an hour, telling us everything we need to know and a lot more.

There are ten of them, but not all of them are good shooters.

Niko and Fox may already have incapacitated some. The odds are in our favor.

When the questioning is over, Niko patches up Russ enough so that he can lead us to his comrades while Fox, ready to shoot if Russ makes a wrong move, is watching from a small distance.

"Why offer that scum amnesty?" I ask him.

"It's not amnesty, only extenuating circumstances."

"He doesn't deserve it."

Fox sighs.

"If he leads us to his comrades, it's worth it and if he testifies against them, all the better. Niko and I cannot identify them without a doubt from the earlier ambush, and we can't nail them on resisting arrest alone; he's the only one who's been identified by witnesses."

So the wolves eat themselves. No, only humans do that.

Niko has finished providing Russ with painkillers and bandages so that he can travel.

"Shall we ride?"

* * *

The bandits' hide hole is literally a hole; they built dwellings in the rock in a site off any main tracks. Since they have also avoided creeks, they depend on rainwater and cisterns. Russ told us they sell their stolen goods via contacts in Chestnut Grove, the largest settlement in the area and the only one with a spaceport, which explains why we have not detected any evidence of ships coming down. Even if they have fitted the caves with some amenities, I cannot help but think it is an existence like in a rat hole.

Since we will have to cross an open steppe on the high plateau to get to their hiding place, we decide to wait for nightfall. When we reach the border of the forest, Niko and Fox secure Russ to a tree; then we discuss strategy.

We have discovered two guards with spy glasses so far, and they probably have night vision glasses too. By now, they are most likely missing Russ and will be on high alert. We can distract their guards with flash bangs, but we would need to get close enough. They all have robosteeds, thus setting loose their horses as a distraction will not work.

What it boils down to is that we will try to sneak up to them under the cover of night and go for a frontal assault.

As we carefully watch them during the day, we can see that all nine remaining bandits are accounted for. One is wearing his right arm in a sling. Two guards are manning a watchtower-like hut higher up the rise; none are patrolling the perimeter. Things are actually looking good.

We start our sneak assault at 0200. My task is to keep the bandits from reaching their robosteeds. We are attacking from three different directions to make it difficult for them to see all of us.

We have almost reached the rock base when the alarm sounds. Niko reacts immediately by throwing a flash bang, and Fox uses his rocket like bionic arm to cause a rockslide on the watch tower. Our two guards scramble to leave the tower, and Fox manages to take out one of them. I am too busy dodging falling stones as I sprint over to the robosteeds. They seem to be on standby and will only react to their owners' commands. I do not have time to bypass that security mechanism, but the steeds make for excellent cover. When one of the bandits shows up at the window of his dwelling, I take him out right away.

Fox tries to cause another rockslide, but there are too many bandits targeting him now, and his shot misses. I do my best to draw the fire away from him.

Niko has managed to climb up to the first level of stone dwellings, and one of the bandits engages her in hand to hand combat. She dodges a punch and manages to grab his arm and send him flying over her shoulder. Before she can stun him, one of his comrades opens fire on her, and she barely avoids being hit. I take aim and take out the second man; meanwhile, Niko sends her opponent into unconsciousness with a well-placed kick of her right leg to his jaw.

I see a movement from the corner of my eye and whirl around. Throwing myself to the ground to avoid a shot, I bring up my own rifle and aim at the dark figure in front of me. He goes down backward and does not move again. One of his comrades has used the opportunity to jump onto a horse and takes off in a mad gallop. I throw away my rifle, break into a run and use one of the standing horses as a springboard to leap straight at the escaping bandit and knock him off his horse. We topple over the ground, and before he even notices what has happened, I have knocked him out with a hard punch.

Six down, three to go. I see Fox and Niko pressed against the wall in a firefight with the remaining bandits, who are entrenched in the stone dwellings. It is a stalemate. The rangers are in a very bad position to take out the bandits, but the bandits cannot leave. I take careful aim with my rifle and wait. A chance comes when Fox, darting from his cover behind a beam over to the staircase, changes position. The bandits follow his run with a volley of shots, but they lean out of the window just a bit too much.

Two more down.

The last bandit with his arm in the sling surrenders.

Our goal is accomplished. I allow myself to take a deep breath and come down from the adrenaline rush. I am glad we lost no one in this mission.

Fox and I collect the bandits and take them to some kind of storage room. We are four pairs of handcuffs short, but the storage room conveniently contains some heavy rope.

Niko has successfully contacted the sheriff in Chestnut Grove. Sheriff Dunlop is not too happy at being woken in the middle of the night, but once she is informed of the situation, she quickly agrees to send a transporter so that we can take the bandits to the nearest prison.

One more night watch and I can go home.

"You've good aim, Sheriff Miller," Fox tells me appreciatively. "Thank you for your help."

"I practice."

"Are you sure you're not related to Daisy O'Mega?" he quips.

My temper flares up.

"I'm not a criminal, Captain!" I spit the words, almost shouting.

"No, you're much better, my lovely one, you and your insane boyfriend…" one of the bandits starts to whisper. I whirl around, bringing up my rifle. I assume he is their leader. Before I can hit him, Fox has whirled around too.

"You are under arrest! You have the right to be silent. Everything you say can be used against you. If you try to escape, we will shoot you."

The bandit gets it is not a good idea to talk back to two officers who are aiming guns at him.

Promising death if he dares speak to me again, I stare at him.

Things become suddenly clear. Why the bandits knew of the side route I was taking up to Calvaga. I curse inwardly. Ray cannot be so stupid to associate with that kind of scum!

I feel very cold, and the room suddenly seems too small.

"I am going to get our robosteeds," I say. It gives me an excuse to leave.

Once I am away from them, I try to calm myself. Ray will have a lot of questions to answer me later, but now is not the time to think about him. I will finish this mission first.

I get the horses and decide to take Russ along. He is too scared to protest. Good.

When I get into earshot of our improvised prison again, I can hear Fox and Niko quietly conversing.

"I am glad she was with us," Fox says. "She was very valuable to have as a markswoman."

"We contributed too," Niko protests lightly.

"You know what I mean, Niko. We were understaffed for this mission."

"As we are for most missions. We're coping."

"Still, I wonder how she ended up here? She seems overqualified for a mere town sheriff."

"I don't think she would want to come with us, Zachary. The feeling I get from her is that she's hiding from something."

"No, I don't think she would be interested, but the thought is tempting. The last time shortage of law enforcement personnel came up, we even discussed pardoning O'Mega."

"They can't be serious. I mean, if they're considering that, why not pardon Macross – or Killbane?!?"

"Once you've done three 72-hour shifts in two weeks, you start considering the strangest things, Niko."

"Do you think working conditions on the side of the Crown are better?"

Zachary throws up his hands in a gesture of surrender.

"You take first watch, Niko. I'm going to sleep as soon as Brutus and my sleeping bag arrive. Wake me in two hours."

I quickly take over the horses to them and reunite Russ with his comrades.

Fox gladly receives his robosteed, unpacks his thermomat and sleeping bag and settles down to rest.

Niko wraps a blanket around herself and, cradling her rifle, sees to the task of watching our new enemies.

She looks tired but apparently, she can still sense my emotions.

"Is everything alright, Daisy?"

I allow my anger to build up as a shield. She will not be able to read anything else but that.

"I don't like being compared to the Blackhole Gang," I say, leaving open whether I mean Fox's earlier comment or their recent conversation.

Niko rubs her temples as though sorting out her thoughts.

"I'm sorry," she says finally.

"The Blackhole gang is a rather sore spot for us. Their leader, Macross, is of Ralid aristocracy, and they won't allow any foreign planet to put him to trial. We generally have to extradite him after a couple of months, and then it's only a matter of days until he bribes his way free for himself and his gang. We'd risk a war with the Ralids and a successive Crown invasion otherwise."

I snort. There would be other possibilities to deal with the Blackhole Gang permanently, but that is not my job anymore.

"But I guess you're not interested in hearing that," she adds softly. Her sympathy is infuriating.

I determine to be silent. She does not take it as a challenge and settles back comfortably.

"Did you know any of the bandits we captured?" she finally asks.

"No."

"They'll probably be hanged," I add. "It's a hard world. I don't feel sorry for them."

Niko sighs, "It's still a waste of life."

"Then why do you capture them?" I shoot back.

Why not do garden work instead, I almost add.

"As you said, it's a hard world. I didn't make the rules, but I can choose sides."

I made my choices, and they brought me here; I wish I knew where to go or what to do. I shove the doubts to the back of my mind and concentrate on my anger instead.

"Would you like to take first shift?" Niko asks gently.

"You can wake me in two hours, and I'll take over then."

I only nod, and she leaves to wrap herself in her sleeping bag.

I try to calm myself. It is a hard world. I need to survive.


	6. Chapter 6

The next day at mid-morning, Sheriff Dunlop arrives with the promised transporter. It is so small that it has to go two times, but by evening, everyone and everything has been transported to Chestnut Grove. Fox and Niko hand over the prisoners to Dunlop, and after they have given her all the facts, the rangers decide to leave the same evening. I do not know whether they are eager to get home or whether their next mission is waiting for them. Probably both. Our goodbyes are short, but I manage not to be too unfriendly.

I feel strangely empty. All that is left for me to do now is write my reports.

The transition from the wilderness back to civilization and people where I need to smile more and scowl less is harsh.

Dunlop urges me to spend the night in her guest room, and since I cannot really give her a compelling reason why I would like to ride at night, I assent. She wants to discuss possibilities for regular patrols in the mountains and how to prevent any further bandit infestations. We mostly talk business the whole evening, which suits me fine.

I retire early to be alone but soon grow restless in my room. My window offers a good look at the moonlit, still snow-covered crags around this valley.

It is not a romantic scene. The light is too harsh, and I know that even this far into spring, the icy temperatures up there at night can still kill.

After a fruitless attempt to read the Bible or the cookbook Dunlop has lying in her guestroom, I decide I need to get out. I hope no one minds that I use the window.

After a short walk, I reach the edge of town. The cows have been brought in for the night, and I am alone in the meadows.

I am finally alone with my thoughts, I admit to myself as I lean on a pole and watch the stars. I used to do that a lot at Wolf Den, thinking how something so beautiful could hold such terrible secrets that we were being trained to face.

I used to think it was us against the aliens. Now I know people are just looking out for themselves.

I have no more illusions about this world.

Russ, who sang and sold out his comrades to save his own skin, knew. But I – I was raised to believe in greater, nobler ideas.

I almost choke on my laugh as I remember the speeches we were given.

I believed that I was supposed to protect Earth, but somehow I assumed that they would keep their promises and give us a place in their military as officers.

When they started hunting us down after the X-factor incident, I canceled all loyalties to them. But I used to believe them once, and even if it was a lie, I do not know how to fill the emptiness it left in me.

I rub at my tired eyes. They are stinging from the cold and the dust.

Some of us would live for the glory and the thrill of the hunt. Killbane. Gravestone. It seems like they did not create BDCs with too much intelligence. Save for one and that memory is painful too.

Shimmerer was content if she could twist someone's mind.

But I – I believed, and I do not know with what to replace that illusion. I am looking out for myself and Ray now, but it is not enough.

Shane used to believe too.

Somehow when they released X-factor on us, he chose to continue believing that they would keep their end of the bargain to let us live.

And even when they froze those who staid behind, he must have chosen that protecting Earth, protecting each individual life, was worth fighting for.

Ray thinks Goose became a ranger and hunter to save his own skin, but I know better. They could not make him if he did not believe in what he did.

Knowing why he betrayed us does not make it hurt any less.

I am looking at the mountains around me.

Snow is melting during the day and freezing at night again until the rock cracks.

It is a harsh world.

My eyes sting. Supertroopers do not cry, but my heart aches.

* * *

The next morning, Dunlop escorts me to the road back to Rani Town. She expects to see me for the main hearing of the bandits, but I am not sure if I will still be here for it.

I do not think I can stay on this planet much longer. I decide to take a small detour on the way back, to see whether our ship is still ready for take-off.

It takes me a day to get to the clearing where we camouflaged the small vessel – and only seconds to realize that it is gone!

Dread grips me. I hope bandits have stolen it, but deep inside I know better.

I try to get back to Rani Town as fast as I can. I do not have to wait long for an answer as I reach the familiar layout of buildings and streets.

Our house is burnt down.

The town people tell me my boyfriend went mad: came in the night, screamed I had betrayed him and gone with the rangers, burnt down the house and knocked down everyone who tried to stop him.

Thankfully, there are no dead but several injured, one with a broken arm.

They do not have to tell me to leave.

One more betrayal. One more I cannot take.

I do not cry, but my heart turns to ice as I leave New Chennai.


End file.
